Pee Wee, Fred, and Maceo @ Town Hall 10/6/11

I went up to the box office a few days prior and bought a ticket for U126.  That's the last row on the floor in the aisle, right by the soundboard.  My Town Hall dancing spot is right by the soundboard and I certainly wasn't going to trust that people would be standing and dancing the whole time, even though it was a funk show.  I can report that at least they were dancing some of the time.  I was the only one to purchase a seat towrd the back, but by the end of the evening some of the others who wanted to dance more filled in some of the space in the back.  I'm intrigued by the womewhat low turnout as it was a very special event.

I finally got to see Maceo Parker.  I just didn't want to pay the high ticket prices or I couldn't make it or whatever.  He's great.  He even did "Georgia" with Ray Charles glasses on and it was phenomenal.  I've seen Fred before with Bonerama and he's still got it.  It was my first Pee Wee Ellis experience.  It was his 70th birthday celebration and he's still got it, too!

The rest of the band was also awesome.  Larry Goldings is great.  The guitar was excellent.  I always love a chance to see Christian McBride.

They started with a jazz tune.  Then they went into the funk.  They played for 2 hours straight through.  They played all the funk songs we know so well and did them all brilliantly.  I loved what they did with some of the songs.  They didn't try to imitate James Brown, but kept in the spirit and did his parts their own way.  They even changed some of the timing, I think that might be rubato on some of the songs.

It was a wonderful night and if you missed it, your loss.

PEE WEE, FRED & MACEO: A FUNKY GOOD TIME concert (October 6) In Celebration of Pee Wee Ellis' 70th Birthday.
Pee Wee Ellis – tenor saxophone, vocals
Fred Wesley – trombone, vocals
Maceo Parker – alto saxophone, vocals
with their all-star band:
Larry Goldings, keys
Christian McBride, bass
Bill Stewart, drums
Rodney Jones, guitar

http://nymag.com/daily/entertainment/2010/04/pee_wee_ellis_the_man_who_inve.html

http://www.youtube.com/artist/Pee_Wee_Ellis